Apparatus for use in erecting a setup paper box



Oct. 21, 1969 P. M. BROST APPARATUS FOR USE IN ERECTING A SET Sheets-Sheet I Filed 001:. 19, 1966 Peter M. Brosf 1N1 'ENTORv Get. 21, 1969 P. M. BROST 3,473,443

APPARATUS FOR USE TN EBECTING A E'ETUP PAPER FOX Filed Oct. 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Shes Fig. 4

Pefer M. Bra s f United States Patent 3,473,443 APPARATUS non USE IN ERECTING A SETUP PAPER BOX Peter M. Brost, 559 Hazel St., Oshkosh, Wis. 5490]. Filed Oct. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 587,787 Int. Cl. B3111 1/72, 1/44 US. Cl. 93-56 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A box corner receiving fixed right angular anvil and a movable anvil of complementary shape paralleling the fixed anvil and moving laterally toward and away from the fixed anvil along a curvilinear path contemplated to provide an even application of pressure along the full lengths of the anvils against an interposed 'box corner. The movable anvil is pivotally mounted through an elongated support arm which is driven from a shaft mounted wheel by a linkage.

This invention generally appertains to improvements in paper box making machines and more particularly relates to a novel apparatus for use in forming a setup paper box by heat sealing the corners thereof to erect the box from its fiat blank form into a completed, setup or erected box.

In the paper box making art, it is known to setup boxes by machine while the box blank is in a flat relation by bending the box up to form the sides of the box at a corner and to apply a heat seal strip to the corner and to heat the strip so as to maintain the corners of the box in their proper erect angular relationship.

conventionally, paper boxes are shipped and stored in a setup condition and have a tape stay-strip preapplied to one edge of each corner of the box blank.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for transforming such a fiat blank into a completed or setup box by erecting the box into its final form and making the final application of heat to the opposite edge of each corner of the box blank.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an extremely compact and portable apparatus which can be utilized by small merchants on a small scale basis for erecting flat box blanks into a completed or setup box, to the end that the user is able to make his own boxes, as and when they are needed from the stored fiat blanks, which require only a fraction of the normal storage space required for a completed or setup box.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a small compact apparatus, which can be portably positioned on a fiat table surface and utilized, as needed, for erecting fiat blanks into an erected or setup box.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus, which is extremely simple and inpensive to purchase, operate and maintain, for enabling an end user to manufacture or make his own box from a flat blank by transforming the blank into a completed or setup box, the blank having been purchased and stored in a flat condition with a heat sealable or other sealing tape preapplied to one edge of each corner and the apparatus of the present invention being operative to erect the box into its completed form and secure it in such completed form by the final application of heat to the other edge of each corner of the box blank.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide a device of the foregoing type, which can be controlled by one operator and which will operate in a cycle manner so that one corner after another can be sealed with the corners being successively supported and positioned by novel means provided by the present in- Patented Oct. 21, 1969 "ice vention and with the tape being completely heat sealed on the corners to complete the erection of the corners under the actuation of a simple switch means.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide an extremely compact and portable apparatus of this type, which can be mounted on a horizontal tabletop and which has an outwardly projecting lower anvil adapted to support the inner corner of a box and a downwardly swinging heated anvil adapted to engage the outer corner and the tape and to heat the tape, the movements of the movable, heated anvil being controlled by a foot operated switch means as the operator moves the box bringing one corner after another, at the inside of the corner, into supported engagement with the lower support anvil.

A meritorious feature of the present invention resides in the provision of means for actuating the movable heated anvil by a foot controlled or otherwise remote controlled switch means, leaving the operators hands free to manipulate the box on the inner corner supporting anvil, and to provide means whereby the heated anvil operates in a cycle, under the control of the switch means.

A further meritorious feature of the present invention resides in the provision of means for actuating the movable heated anvil and for controlling the operation thereof in a cycle manner.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of an apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view, showing the supporting and heating anvils in working relationship with respect to the corner of a box;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view, taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 3, and,

FIGURE 5 is a view in perspective of the erected and set-up box, after the corners thereof have been scaled by the apparatus of the present invention, as shown in FIGURES l and 2.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, attention is first directed to FIGURE 5, wherein the reference numeral 10 generally designates a paper box, which may be of any size or shape but which is shown as being rectangular and having corners 12 on the exterior of which heat sealed reinforcing tape 14 of a conventional nature is applied. In the transportation and storage of such box, the walls are collapsed so that the box lies fiat and the tape 14 is applied to only one edge of each of the corners. The fiat shipment and storage of the boxes 10 has decided advantages, as can be realized. However, it has been difficult for a user, particularly a small user, to erect and continue the rigidifying heat sealing of the corner tape by hand.

Consequently, the apparatus, generally designated by the reference numeral 16, has been devised and constitutes the essence of the present invention. The apparatus 16 includes a very small, lightweight, compact and portable housing 18, which can be easily positioned on a tabletop or horizontal supporting surface 20 and the operation of which is controlled preferably by a foot operated switch 22, through conductors 24 leading to the housing. The housing also has a conventional on-off switch 26. The switches control the operation of the machine, as will be described.

The housing 18 has a front wall 28, which is adapted to be positioned adjacent the front edge 30 of the tabletop 20, while the foot switch 22 is located or disposed on the floor in an easily accessible position to the front wall 28.

An angular, substantially V-shaped fixed or stationary anvil 32, which is of a right dihedral angle 'but which will be referred to as substantially V-shaped in cross-section, is provided and projects laterally outwardly from the front wall 28. The fixed anvil 32 is adapted to be inserted within and supports the interior of a corner 12 of the box 10, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The fixed anvil 32 cooperates with a downwardly swinging, movable heated anvil 34, which projects outwardly from the wall 28 of the housing and which has a V-shaped heated anvil face 36, the face 36 being V-shaped in cross-section or being formed in the nature of a pressure head with a reentrance right dihedral angle in its undersurface that coacts with the fixed anvil 32 and is adapted to engage the tape 14 and seal the unsealed edge of the corner tape so that the entire tape 14 is sealed to both edges of the corner 12 and thereby the corner 12 is formed and rigidified to maintain the angularly, adjoining walls 38 and 40, for example, as shown in FIGURE 5, of the box in their set-up relationship.

The movable anvil 34 comprises a supporting arm 42, which is mounted for downward swinging, somewhat curvilinear movement, in a slot 44 formed in the wall 28 of the housing. The anvil 34, which is supported by the arm 42 and which carries the presser head 36, is heated by heat elements 46 and 48, having suitable conductors 50 and being of a conventional nature and controlled by a switch means. The conductors 50 are controlled by the on and oil? switch 26 and are connected to a suitable source of electrical energy.

A combined electric motor and gear box arrangement 52 which may be of any conventional type, is mounted in the housing, along with a resistor 54 for the heating elements. Also, an adjustable stop 56 is mounted on a vertical support or column 58 within the casing and is provided for limiting the downward movement of the arm 42, as can be appreciated from a consideration of FIGURE 4.

The motor arrangement, through a drive shaft 60, opcrates the arm 42. A supporting arm 62 is pivotally mounted, on a pivot 64, within the housing and is fixed to the arm 42 so as to swing the arm 42 and its subjacent, attendant anvil and presser head 34 and 36 into clamping, pressing and heating engagement with the tape on the outer corner, with the underside of the corner being supported by the fixed anvil 32. The anvil assembly, including the members 34 and 36, are fixed to the arm 42, which is swung downwardly and upwardly by the actuating arm 62, through the movements of a cam 66, which is fixed by a radial setscrew 68 on the drive shaft 60. The cam 66 is of the split type, for adjustment purposes, and is held together by a tangentially arranged setscrew 70, which is located at the low point or dwell 72 of the cam. Such low point 72 is disposed intermediate the otherwise annular operating periphery 74 of the cam.

The cam 66 is connected by an adjustable pivot means 76, which is disposed within a circumferential slot 78 in the body of the cam, to a link 80. The link 80 is bonnected by a pivot joint 82 to a pin 84, which has its shank 86 passing through a suitable opening 88 in the outer angular end portion 89 of the actuating arm 62.

An adjustment spring 90 is coiled on the pin and the outer end portion 92 of the pin is threaded to receive a wing nut 94 which, through the intermediary of a washer 96, bears against the compression spring 90, which constitutes an adjustment spring.

' A switch 100 is mounted in the housing and has a movable contact arm 102, which carries a roller 104 that is held by the spring arm 102 in constant engagement with the peripheral surface 74 of the cam.

In use, an operator opens the box 10 from its fiat condition and places one of the corners, for example the corner 12, on the fixed anxil 32 so that the inside of the corner is supported by the side walls of the V-shaped or right dihedral angled fixed anvil 32. It is to be noted that the anvil projects outwardly from the front edge 30 of the worktable 20 and the movable anvil 34 is in an upper position. The corner 12 is smoothed out, on its inside, by the downwardly sloping walls of the fixed anvil 32 and the free edge of the tape (the other edge having been preapplied to one edge of the corner of the box blank) is smoothed out. The heat elements 46 and 48 have been energized so that the anvil is heated and the operator then steps on the foot switch 22, which actuates the motor and causes the cam to rotate and, through the crank linkage pull the actuating arm 62 down about the pivot 64 and, consequently, pull the anvil assembly 34 downwardly with its presser face 36 in tight clamping and heat pressing engagement with the tape on the outer corner. The anvil is maintained in such relationship, until the cam completes a three-quarter revolution or until the roller rides off the smooth periphery 74 and fails within the dwell, whereupon the switch arm 102 springs open to cause the motor means to become deenergized and the arm 62 to be raised, thereby swinging the movable anvil assembly upwardly. The thermostatic heat controlled anvil, which has a downward sweeping motion, shapes and presses the tape on the corner of the box against the lower level. After each corner is heat sealed by the anvil assembly 34, actuated by the foot switch 22, the box blank is manually rotated to the following corner (the blank being in an open condition and being moved either clockwise or counterclockwise) until all of the corners of the box and/ or cover have been sealed.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. Apparatus for use in forming a setup box from a blank having a heat scalable tape stn'p pre-applied to one edge of each corner, said apparatus comprising an elon gated fixed lower corner defining angular anvil, an elongated movable upper anvil paralleling said lower anvil and being angularly formed to complement the configuration of the lower anvil, means mounting the upper movable anvil relative to the parallel fixed anvil for lateral movement toward the fixed anvil while retaining a parallel relationship therewith for the application of a constant pressure along the length of said anvils to a box corner positionable on said fixed anvil, said means mounting said movable anvil comprising an elongated rigid support arm fixed at one end to said movable anvil at a point along the length thereof, said support arm projecting laterally from said movable anvil and being pivotally mounted at the second end for a swinging movement of the movable anvil along a curvilinear path toward and away from said fixed anvil while retaining the parallel relationship therewith, a rotatably mounted shaft located below said support arm, wheel means fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, and link means engaged between said wheel means and said support arm between the opposite ends thereof for a controlled pivotal swinging of said support arm and the movable anvil therewith, and an adjustable stop limiting pivotal movement of said movable anvil toward said fixed anvil at any of a plurality of predeterinined adjusted locations, said link means including a compressible spring for a cushioned engagement with said support arm for accommodating the adjustable stop.

2. Apparatus for use in forming a set-up box from a blank having a heat scalable tape strip pre-applied to one edge of each corner, said apparatus comprising an elongated fixed lower corner defining angular anvil, an elongated movable upper anvil paralleling said lower anvil and being arigularly formed to complement the configuration of the lower anvil, means mounting the upper movable anvil relative to the parallel fixed anvil for lateral movement toward the fixed anvil while retaining a parallel relationship therewith for the application of a constant pressure along the length of said anvils to a box corner positionable on said fixed anvil, said means mounting said movable anvil comprising an elongated rigid support arm fixed at one end to said movable anvil and pivotally mounted at the second end for a swinging movement of the movable anvil along a curvilinear path toward and away from said fixed anvil, a rotatably mounted shaft located below said support arm, wheel means fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, link means engaged between said wheel means and said support arm between the opposite ends thereof for a controlled pivotal swinging of said support arm and the movable anvil therewith, an adjustable stop limiting pivotal movement of said movable anvil toward said fixed anvil at any of a plurality of predetermined adjusted locations, said link means including a compressible spring for a cushioned engagement with said support arm for accommodating the adjustable stop and insuring the application of a proper pressure, means for selectively heating said movable anvil, said wheel means being in the nature of a cam having a peripheral dwell area thereon, motor means associated with said shaft for effecting a selective rotational driving thereof, and switch means operatively engaged between said motor means and said wheel for eifecting a control of said motor means in response to rotation of said wheel, said switch means disengaging from said wheel in the dwell area thereof and de-energizing said motor means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,198,564 9/1916 McLaurin 9356 3,069,981 12/1962 Zerlin 9356 3,393,613 7/1968 Shields. 2,367,698 1/1945 Straw.

WAYNE A. MORSE, JR., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 9359 

